opportunities

Last century a group of sixty one Charismatic /Pentecostal leaders met in the United States to seek the face of God for the future. At the conclusion of this time in prayer, repentance and seeking the face of God, they made a statement about eight things they felt God was calling them to do.

I have chosen five for this article – believing they are even more relevant today in this 21st century!

1. God is calling us to transform society
I will attempt here to open the challenge they placed last on their list.

They agreed that western culture was becoming increasingly hostile to the Christian faith. That they must not run from their calling to transform culture butengage in a kingdom mission to effect change. They agreed that Christians for too long have viewed politics, education and the financial realm as evil, when we must see those arenas as mountains to claim for Christ. (more…)

(January 10, 2017)Stuart Reynolds brings a timely 2017 challenge…

Thirty-five years ago the media outlets in the United States carried a most unique story about a 33-year-old man called Larry Walters. Perhaps approaching an early mid-life crisis, Larry decided he wanted a new perspective on life where he lived.

He came up with an ingenious plan – he purchased 42 weather balloons which he inflated, having friends attach them to his securely anchored lawn chair.

Along with some refreshments for the journey he also took a pellet gun, so he could shoot each balloon as he would make his descent. Walters thought the balloons would only take him a few hundred feet in the air – the reality was that they launched him some 15,000 feet and into the flight traffic pattern for the nearby Los Angeles International Airport!

Realising his dilemma, he frantically started to shoot the balloons, but in his panic dropped his gun. After two hours of ‘flight’ it finally took an Air Force helicopter to bring him down.

When the ‘Lawn Chair Pilot’ (as he became known as) was safely back on terra firma and charged by the police, he faced the music of the news reporters. He was asked, ‘Were you scared?’ His response was, ‘Yes, I was, but wonderfully so!’

When asked ‘Why did you do it?’ he replied ‘Because you can’t just sit there.’

August 17, 2016 – Robert and Maureen McQuillan reflect on the season…

In the 1979 classic, Being There, Chance, a simpleminded gardener who has resided his entire life in the Washington, DC townhouse of an unnamed wealthy employer and only been educated by television, is brilliantly played by Peter Sellers.

Forced to vacate when the old man suddenly dies, wearing the deceased’s expensively tailored 1920/30s clothes, Chance wanders the unfamiliar streets. An accident leads to meeting Ben Rand, a business mogul and confidant/adviser to the president.

His manners old-fashioned and courtly, Chance is presumed to be an upper-class, highly educated businessman, and mistakenly called Chauncey Gardiner. His simple words are repeatedly misunderstood as profound; in particular, his simplistic utterances about gardens and the weather are interpreted as allegorical statements about business and the state of the economy.

Paul Morgan looks forward to a good 2016 future and challenges…

The events of Genesis 1:14 – ‘And God said: “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky…
and let them serve as signs to mark seasons, and days and years”’ – obviously happened quite some time before January 2016!

But we can see in the first book of the Bible that even as he created this world, God had a plan for it… one including seasons, days, years. Indeed God’s plan includes our lives – yours and mine. I believe that this new year of 2016 is a significant one of opportunity for us as we hear from God and obey. (more…)

Mike Shreve, Special to the ASSIST, shares good advice…

Last month many worldwide grieved with the people of Paris who suffered such a tragedy last week at the hands of Muslim extremists. I believe that attacking ISIS militarily is right and should have been done in greater fury long ago.

However, I would urge Christians everywhere to also respond to Muslim-related terrorism a completely different way.(more…)

Jeanette Chaffee, Special to ASSIST, herself a terrorist survivor, writes:

On October first I was driving around Tualatin, Oregon, and nonchalantly turned on the radio. I heard the horrific news that a gunman had gone on a shooting rampage in a writing class at Umpqua Community College, killing nine and shooting nine others.

Immediately I remembered my own experience surviving a terrorist bombing on TWA Flight 840 back in 1986, how helpless I felt, and how grateful I was that God allowed me to live though other people died. I felt the Lord instructed me to go to Roseburg and help in whatever way I could. I have to admit that it was with some nervousness that I headed 180 miles (290 km) south. (more…)

Carol Round writes inspirationally…

‘Always be joyful. Always keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus’ (1 Thess. 5:16-18 TLB).

In a recent discussion of 1 Thessalonians in our Sunday school class, one of our members, referencing chapter 5, verses 16-18 made the following statement: ‘Until our family was faced with cancer, we did life as usual. I’m actually grateful, not for the cancer, but that it changed our lives.’ (more…)

Geraldine Brandt reminds us that what Jesus has done for us will strengthen us to influence others…

One of the definitions of ‘remembering’ is ‘bringing the power and reality of the past into the present.’ It is making past events present realities! ‘Impacting’ indicates ‘a strong effect or influence on someone.’

This is the ministry of the Holy Spirit – it is not merely the effort of the mind endeavouring to revert to the past, it is the omnipotence of the Spirit bringing the power of the past into the present. (more…)

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Connecting with You! reflects words of encouragement from Dr Robert and Maureen McQuillan and friends.

Ministering cross-denominationally/cross-culturally, Robert and Maureen are regarded as uplifting encouragers and mentors, inspiring, challenging and blessing.

Robert and Maureen share from decades of experience and caring hearts, sensitively and meaningfully moving in the gifts of the Spirit. Their main concern is the kingdom, that Christians grow personally in Christ and that churches grow qualitatively not just numerically.